


The Once and Future Queen

by LaFey (orphan_account)



Category: Merlin (BBC)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-01-15
Updated: 2011-01-15
Packaged: 2017-10-14 18:45:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/152312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/LaFey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prince Arthur has a secret: he likes to dress as a girl. When Merlin arrives at court he can’t stand the obnoxious, spoiled prince, but he falls head over heels for his beautiful alter-ego Morgana. They start an illicit affair, but it isn’t long before Arthur realizes he’s falling for his manservant, and when Merlin discovers his secret they both realize that the line between love and hate is indeed thin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Once and Future Queen

**Author's Note:**

> I am writing Arthur and Morgana as two seperate characters, hopefully to lessen confusion, even though, for this fic, they are one and the same. If you are confused, please let me know. This will be in three parts :)
> 
> Attn: this story contains with cross-dressing (Arthur dressed as a girl: Morgana).

They whispered when she passed by; praises, wishes, desires. It was a heady feeling, one that she thrived off of. Such a switch from what she was usually used to - the unquestioning loyalty of the knights, the fear and love from the villagers, and the harsh but true love of the king - it was something she couldn’t pass up. Every night she walked the streets or the halls of the castle, or graced the court with her presence. Five years ago she came to Camelot, no one knew where from, and since then she had been the object of fascination and lust. No one in the realm matched her beauty, and no one in the realm was more mysterious. In the five years she had been there, little more than her name was known, but everyone knew it: Morgana. Lonely men often whispered it to the darkened corners of their rooms late at night, and she aroused curiosity in a fair share of woman too. When she came gliding down the streets people stopped what they were doing and turned to watch her pass. She was beautiful and untouchable, everyone’s dream, whether they wanted her or wanted to be her - or perhaps a little of both. She knew well the reaction she got, and the feeling of power, so different from what she was used to, was addicting. So every night she would glide through the castle, feasting off of the looks and whispers, holding onto them to get her through another day.

***

“Sire, your father wishes to speak with you,” the servant bowed low as Arthur, crown prince of Camelot, stepped off the training field and came towards him.

“Did he say what he wants?”

“No Sire, forgive me. I did not think it was my place to ask.”

“Hmm…” the prince hummed out a disapproving noise as he looked down on the grovelling figure before him. “Well then you can tell my father that I am in the middle of training this latest bunch of abysmal would-be knights, so I will speak with him when I am done,” and he turned to go.

“But, but sire, he said it was urgent!”

Arthur turned back around, an eyebrow raised in a scathing expression. “And you didn’t get any information from him?”

“N-no Sire, it’s not my place to ask questions.”

“Fine!” the prince huffed out an irritated sigh and stalked off the field, muttering under his breath about incompetent servants and kings with bad timing.

When he reached the throne room he pushed the doors open, sweeping inside.

“What is so urgent, father, that you had to take me away from training? Isn’t Camelot’s defence your greatest concern?”

“At the moment, no. There has been word of sorcery in the lower town. You are to gather your best men and find the traitor so justice may be served.”

Arthur paced to the window, turning his back so he could roll his eyes without incurring the wrath of the king.

“You want to waste precious resources on a rumour? What about patrolling the border for actual threats?”

“Do not take that tone with me. I am your king even if you are my son and heir, and I demand respect! The word came from one of your knights. He says he saw a woman putting a curse on the house of another. And you of all people should know that magic is as real a threat as bandits!”  
Arthur thought it was ridiculous, and if he was being honest he didn’t share his father’s views that all magic was evil and that those who practiced it should be put to death, but there was little he could do. The king’s mind was made up and nothing would change that. Although…Morgana. The king was always delighted to see her, and she seemed to have an uncanny ability to make him forget about what was worrying him. The prince’s lips turned up in a faint smile and he bowed his head to hide it.

“As you wish, father. I will personally see to it that this witch is caught.”

The king nodded in return and Arthur swept out, heading for his chambers, intent on a bath since it was getting to dark to practice. Tomorrow. He sighed. The latest batch of would-be knights really were quite awful, but he had to make do with what he had.

***

That night, after the evening meal, Morgana was escorted into the throne room, much to the delight of the king and all those who were present. She bestowed them all with a glowing smile, and bowed her head to Uther, respectful yet seductive as always. The accompanying knights all leered at her, but the king just smiled fondly, as though she was the daughter he never had, and gestured for her to be seated next to him. She slid gracefully into the chair, arranging the skirt of her dress modestly around her legs. Turning to Uther she spoke, her voice soft and breathy, barely more than a whisper.

“You look worried, my lord. Is something the matter?”

“Nothing you need to worry yourself about,” replied the king in an uncommonly gentle voice.

Morgana smiled faintly. “Are you sure? You can tell me if you’d like.”

“Just the usual I’m afraid. More rumours of sorcery in the lower town, though closer to the castle this time. I sent Arthur and his men out to hunt down the witch, but he thinks it’s all a waste of time.”

“I’m sure he is just worried as well, perhaps about bandits because the harvest is near and they are always worse at this time of the year, are they not?”

The king chuckled good naturedly. “You never cease to surprise me. I often wonder if I shouldn’t keep you around as my advisor.”

She joined his laughter, her blues eyes lighting up to show her mirth. “I would not object to that idea, my lord, but I think your men would not take kindly to it, and I do not want to be the cause of any trouble.”

“You are right again. And as usual you have talked me out of my troubles. Tomorrow night I will set Arthur back to his duties of training a new batch of knights - from what I saw today they need all the practice they can get. Then he can worry about bandits on the boarders.”

Morgana dipped her head and sighed softly, not wanting the kind to hear the noise. “I fear it’s getting late, and I must retire. Goodnight, my lord,” she stood, rolling her shoulders back in an unconscious effort to ease the tension of the day before gliding out of the room, leaving behind disappointed knights and a soothed king.

***

Arthur slept well that night, knowing his father had been placated, and that he would get to continue training tomorrow so there would be more men to patrol the boarders. Last year had been slim pickings, with Camelot on the brink of war with a neighbouring kingdom, and the bandits taking full advantage of that. This year would be different, he promised himself before he slipped into sleep. And when he had the focus of a task like that he didn’t need Morgana, a blessing and a sadness all in one. She helped put into perspective, and at the same time lessen, the responsibilities of being crown prince, and sometimes he thought she was the only reason he didn’t go completely mad. Little did he know that his whole world was about to be tipped upside down.


End file.
